U.S. patent number 10,283,391 [Application Number 15/535,380] was granted by the patent office on 2019-05-07 for multiple gases providing method and multiple gases providing apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to EUGENE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. The grantee listed for this patent is EUGENE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Joo-Hyun Cho, Jun-Jin Hyon, Chul-Goo Kang, Yong-Ki Kim, Jung-Ki Min.
United States Patent |
10,283,391 |
Hyon , et al. |
May 7, 2019 |
Multiple gases providing method and multiple gases providing
apparatus
Abstract
Provided is a method for multi-supplying gas, the method
comprising: installing a control valve and an flow meter on each of
a plurality of branch lines branched from a main supply line, in
which one or more gases are supplied, and supplying the gas; and
providing the gas by adjusting flow of the gas by a controller
connected to each of the control valve and the flow meter, wherein
the controller has a first control manner, which controls each of
the control valves based on a rate of flow measured by the flow
meter to required portion flow for each branch line, and the first
control manner adjusts an open rate of the control valve if the
rate of the measured flow to the required portion flow is not
within a predetermined range, and a unit of adjusting the control
valve increases or decreases according to a difference between the
measured flow and the required portion flow.
Inventors: |
Hyon; Jun-Jin (Gunpo-si,
KR), Cho; Joo-Hyun (Yongin-si, KR), Kang;
Chul-Goo (Seongnam-si, KR), Kim; Yong-Ki
(Pyeongtaek-si, KR), Min; Jung-Ki (Yongin-si,
KR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EUGENE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. |
Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do |
N/A |
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
EUGENE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
(Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-Do, KR)
|
Family
ID: |
56788745 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/535,380 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2016 |
PCT
Filed: |
February 19, 2016 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/KR2016/001686 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
June 12, 2017 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2016/137170 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
September 01, 2016 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170372929 A1 |
Dec 28, 2017 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Feb 27, 2015 [KR] |
|
|
10-2015-0028508 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05D
7/0652 (20130101); H01L 21/67017 (20130101); H01L
21/67253 (20130101); G05D 7/0664 (20130101); H01L
21/02 (20130101); Y10T 137/2657 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
G05D
7/06 (20060101); H01L 21/67 (20060101); H01L
21/02 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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10-2001-0080530 |
|
Aug 2001 |
|
KR |
|
10-2004-0004391 |
|
Jan 2004 |
|
KR |
|
10-2004-0008129 |
|
Jan 2004 |
|
KR |
|
10-2007-0011342 |
|
Jan 2007 |
|
KR |
|
10-2008-0111075 |
|
Dec 2008 |
|
KR |
|
Primary Examiner: Murphy; Kevin F
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rabin & Berdo, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for multi-supplying gas, the method comprising:
installing a control valve and an flow meter on each of a plurality
of branch lines branched from a main supply line, in which one or
more gases are supplied, and supplying the gas; and providing the
gas by adjusting flow of the gas by a controller connected to each
of the control valve and the flow meter, wherein the controller has
a first control manner, which controls each of the control valves
based on a rate of flow measured by the flow meter to a required
portion flow for each branch line, and the first control manner
adjusts an opening degree of the control valve installed in the
branch line in which the rate of the measured flow to the required
portion flow is not within a predetermined range, and a unit of
adjusting the control valve increases or decreases according to a
difference between the measured flow and the required portion flow,
wherein the controller has a second control manner, in which the
controller decreases the opening degree of the control valve by a
third adjusting unit installed in the branch line in which the flow
measured by the flow meter is equal to or more than the required
portion flow by a predetermined value, and increases the opening
degree of the control valve by the third adjusting unit installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
less than the required portion flow by the predetermined value, and
wherein the controller has a third control manner, in which the
controller fixes the opening degree of the control valve installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
within a predetermined range in a state that the second control
manner is maintained for a predetermined period, and the controller
returns to the second control manner to the control valve installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
not within the predetermined range.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein before controlling each of the
control valves based on the rate of flow in the first control
manner, the controller adjusts the opening degree of the control
valve which is in a full open state to 50% and adjusts the opening
degree of the control valve which is in a full close state.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller calculates a total
of supply flow, which is the sum of the flow measured by the entire
flow meter, after adjusting each of the control valves to a full
open state, and increases an opening degree of an flow controller,
which is installed on one or more auxiliary supply line connected
to the main supply line and adjusts flow of the gas, if the total
of supply flow is equal to or less than a total of required flow,
which is the sum of the required portion flow, by a predetermined
value.
4. A method for multi-supplying gas, the method comprising:
installing a control valve and an flow meter on each of a plurality
of branch lines branched from a main supply line, in which one or
more gases are supplied, and supplying the gas; and providing the
gas by adjusting flow of the gas by a controller connected to each
of the control valve and the flow meter, wherein the controller has
a first control manner, which controls each of the control valves
based on a rate of flow measured by the flow meter to a required
portion flow for each branch line, and the first control manner
adjusts an opening degree of the control valve installed in the
branch line in which the rate of the measured flow to the required
portion flow is not within a predetermined range, and a unit of
adjusting the control valve increases or decreases according to a
difference between the measured flow and the required portion flow,
wherein the controller has a second control manner, in which the
controller decreases the opening degree of the control valve by a
third adjusting unit installed in the branch line in which the flow
measured by the flow meter is equal to or more than the required
portion flow by a predetermined value, and increases the opening
degree of the control valve by the third adjusting unit installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
less than the required portion flow by the predetermined value, and
wherein the controller has a third control manner, in which the
controller fixes the opening degree of the entire control valve if
a total of supply flow being the sum of the flow measured by the
entire flow meter is within a predetermined range in a state that
the second control manner is maintained to the entire control valve
for a predetermined period, and the controller returns to the
second control manner if the total of supply flow is not within the
predetermined range.
5. An apparatus for multi-supplying gas, comprising: a main supply
line, in which one or more gases are supplied; a plurality of
branch lines branched from the main supply line and providing the
gas supplied from the main supply line; a plurality of control
valves, each installed on each of the plurality of branch lines; a
plurality of flow meters, each installed on each of the plurality
of branch lines, located at a rear end of the control valve, and
measuring flow of the gas provided via the branch line; and a
controller connected to each of the control valve and the flow
meter and driving the control valve, wherein the controller has a
first control manner, which controls each of the control valves
based on a rate of flow measured by the flow meter to a required
portion flow for each branch line, and the first control manner
adjusts an opening degree of the control valve installed in the
branch line in which the rate of the measured flow to the required
portion flow is not within a predetermined range, and a unit of
adjusting the control valve increases or decreases according to a
difference between the measured flow and the required portion flow,
wherein the controller has a second control manner, in which the
controller decreases the opening degree of the control valve by a
third adjusting unit installed in the branch line in which the flow
measured by the flow meter is equal to or more than the required
portion flow by a predetermined value, and increases the opening
degree of the control valve by the third adjusting unit installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
less than the required portion flow by the predetermined value, and
wherein the controller has a third control manner, in which the
controller fixes the opening degree of the control valve installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
within a predetermined range in a state that the second control
manner is maintained for a predetermined period, and the controller
returns to the second control manner to the control valve installed
in the branch line in which the flow measured by the flow meter is
not within the predetermined range.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein before controlling each of the
control valves based on the rate of flow in the first control
manner, the controller adjusts the opening degree of the control
valve which is in a full open state to 50% and adjusts the opening
degree of the control valve which is in a full close state.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention disclosed herein relates to a method for
multi-supplying gas and an apparatus for multi-supplying gas, and
more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for supplying gas
via branch lines using control valves and flow meters.
BACKGROUND ART
Recently, silicon wafers used to manufacture a semiconductor have
become larger and accordingly, in the semiconductor manufacturing
apparatus, supplying reaction gas into a chamber using a plurality
of branch lines as well as relatively highly controlling a gas-flow
ratio among the respective branch lines has been also required.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
The present invention provides a method for a method for
multi-supplying gas and an apparatus for multi-supplying gas,
capable of accurately controlling gas supplied via branch
lines.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more
apparent from the following detailed description and the
accompanying drawings.
Technical Solution
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for
multi-supplying gas, the method comprising: installing a control
valve and an flow meter on each of a plurality of branch lines
branched from a main supply line, in which one or more gases are
supplied, and supplying the gas; and providing the gas by adjusting
flow of the gas by a controller connected to each of the control
valve and the flow meter, wherein the controller has a first
control manner, which controls each of the control valves based on
a rate of flow measured by the flow meter to required portion flow
for each branch line, and the first control manner adjusts an open
rate of the control valve if the rate of the measured flow to the
required portion flow is not within a predetermined range, and a
unit of adjusting the control valve increases or decreases
according to a difference between the measured flow and the
required portion flow.
In other embodiments, in the first control manner, the unit of
adjusting the control valve may be a first adjusting unit when the
control valve is in a full open state, the unit of adjusting the
control valve may be a second adjusting unit when the control valve
is in a full close state, the first and second adjusting units may
be larger than the unit of adjusting the control valve between the
full open state and the full close state, and the first adjusting
unit may be larger than the second adjusting unit.
In still other embodiments, the controller may have a second
control manner, in which, if the flow measured by the flow meter
for each branch line is equal to or more than the required portion
flow by a predetermined value, the controller decreases the open
rate of the control valve by a third adjusting unit, and if the
flow measured by the flow meter is less than the required portion
flow by a predetermined value, the controller increases the open
rate of the control valve by the third adjusting unit.
In even other embodiments, the controller may have a third control
manner, in which the controller fixes the open rate of the control
valve if the flow measured by the flow meter is within a
predetermined range in a state that the second control manner is
maintained for a predetermined period, and the controller returns
to the second control manner if the flow measured by the flow meter
is not within the predetermined range.
In yet other embodiments, wherein the controller may have a third
control manner, in which the controller fixes the open rate of the
control valve if a total of supply flow being the sum of the flow
measured by the flow meter is within a predetermined range in a
state that the second control manner is maintained for a
predetermined period, and the controller returns to the second
control manner if the total of supply flow is not within the
predetermined range.
In further embodiments, the controller may calculate a total of
supply flow, which is the sum of the flow measured by the flow
meter, after adjusting each of the control valves to a full open
state, and increase an open rate of an flow controller, which is
installed on one or more auxiliary supply line connected to the
main supply line and adjusts flow of the gas, if the total of
supply flow is equal to or less than a total of required flow,
which is the sum of the required portion flow, by a predetermined
value.
Other embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for
multi-supplying gas, comprising: a main supply line, in which one
or more gases are supplied; a plurality of branch lines branched
from the main supply line and providing the gas supplied from the
main supply line; a plurality of control valves, each installed on
each of the plurality of branch lines; a plurality of flow meters,
each installed on each of the plurality of branch lines, located at
a rear end of the control valve, and measuring flow of the gas
provided via the branch line; and a controller connected to each of
the control valve and the flow meter and driving the control valve,
wherein the controller has a first control manner, which controls
each of the control valves based on a rate of flow measured by the
flow meter to required portion flow for each branch line, and the
first control manner adjusts an open rate of the control valve if
the rate of the measured flow to the required portion flow is not
within a predetermined range, and a unit of adjusting the control
valve increases or decreases according to a difference between the
measured flow and the required portion flow.
Advantageous Effects
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller
can accurately control the gas supplied via the branch lines.
Further, the present invention can accurately controls the flow
rate of the gas using the control valve and the flow meter without
the separate FRC.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 and 2 are a diagram schematically illustrating an apparatus
for multi-supplying gas according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an initial-controlling manner of
a controller illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are a flowchart illustrating the first control manner
of the controller illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the second control manner of the
controller illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the third control manner of the
controller illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a process for controlling a flow
rate in the respective branch lines via the apparatus for
multi-supplying gas illustrated in FIG. 1.
BEST MODE
Hereinafter, preferred examples of the present invention will be
described in more detail with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 1
to 8. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different
forms and should not be constructed as limited to the embodiments
set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that
this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully
convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the
art. Thus, the size of each element may be exaggerated for
convenience in description and clarity.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are a diagram schematically illustrating an apparatus
for multi-supplying gas according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, an apparatus for
multi-supplying gas comprises a main supply line M and branch lines
{circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, . . . , {circle around
(n)}. A front end of the main supply line M is connected to
auxiliary lines and a rear end of the main supply line M is
connected to the branch lines {circle around (1)}, {circle around
(2)}, . . . , {circle around (n)}. Different gases can flow in the
respective auxiliary lines and the gases, which are supplied to the
main supply line M via the respective auxiliary lines, are
sufficiently mixed in a mixer and then supplied into the respective
branch lines {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, . . . ,
{circle around (n)}. A MFC (a flow rate controller) is installed on
the respective auxiliary lines and controls a flow rate of gas
supplied into the mixer via the respective auxiliary lines.
The branch lines {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, . . . ,
{circle around (n)} is branched from the main supply line M and as
illustrated in FIG. 1, comprised of n branch lines. As described
the above, the gas mixed in the mixer is flowed in the branch lines
{circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, . . . , {circle around
(n)} and then can be supplied into the desired position via the
branch lines {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, . . . ,
{circle around (n)}.
A control valve and a flow meter (for example, MFM; mass flow
meter) are installed on each of the branch lines and each of the
control valve and the flow meter is connected to the controller.
The flow meter can measure the flow of gas discharged (or supplied)
via each branch line and the measured value is transmitted to the
controller. The controller controls an open rate of the control
valve according to the measured value transmitted from the flow
meter and thereby can control the flow of gas discharged via each
branch line. The controller may a PLC controller and may control
the control valve in a PID manner.
Conventionally, the gas supplied via the main supply line was
distributed to the branch lines via a distributor (FRC) but there
is a limit that the distributor cannot be used in five (5) or more
channels because it has only four (4) channels. However, the above
control valve-flow meter manner can implement a function of
distribution (FRC) by integrating all channels via the controller.
Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to the
accompanying FIGS. 3 to 7.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an initial-controlling manner of
a controller illustrated in FIG. 2. First, as illustrated in FIG.
4, the control valve is driven and opens the each branch line (or
each channel) to an initial position (for example, full open), and
then a total of supply flow is calculated by adding the flow of the
branch lines measured via the flow meters located in the rear ends
of the control valves. Thereafter, a total of required flow, which
is a sum of required portion flow to be supplied via the respective
branch lines {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, . . . ,
{circle around (n)}, is calculated, and then total of supply flow
is compared to the total of required flow. If the total of supply
flow is equal or less by a predetermined value than the total of
required flow, the total of supply flow is increased by increasing
the open rate of MFC (the mass flow controller). Therefore, the
total of supply flow and the total of required flow can be adjusted
to the approximate level.
For example, the predetermined value may be 0.001%. In other words,
if the total of supply flow may be smaller than the total of
required value and the difference (the total of supply flow--the
total of required value) is equal to or larger than 0.001% of the
total of required flow, the open rate of the MFC (the mass flow
controller) can be increased and thereby the total flow of gas
supplied into the main supply line M via the auxiliary supply lines
can be increased. Therefore, as described the above, the total of
supply flow and the total of required flow can be adjusted to the
approximate level.
FIGS. 4 and 5 are a flowchart illustrating the first control manner
of the controller illustrated in FIG. 2. In the above, if the total
of supply flow is more than the total of required flow by the
predetermined value, the first control manner illustrated in FIGS.
4 and 5 may be applied. First, if the control valve is fully
opened, the open rate of the control valve is set to 50% and if the
control valve is fully closed, the open rate of the control valve
is set to 30%. In this example, 50% and 3% is exemplary values and
different values can be applied as needed and the set open rate of
the control valve at full open (for example, 50%) may be larger
than the set open rate of the control valve at full close (for
example, 3%).
Then, if the control valve is neither in the full open state nor in
the full close state, the controller controls the control valve
according to the rate of the measured flow to the required portion
flow in each branch line. Particularly considering, the required
portion flow means the gas flow to be supplied via each branch
line, and the measured flow means the flow actually discharged from
the each branch line as sensed by the flow meter installed on each
branch line. The controller can adjust the measured flow to the
approximate level of the required portion flow by adjusting the
open rate of the control valve when the above rate is not within a
predetermined range (for example, more than 99.5% and equal to or
less than 100.5%). The larger a unit of adjusting the open rate may
be, the less the rate is (or the larger a difference between the
measured flow and the required portion flow is). Thereby, the time
required to adjust the measure flow (or the discharged flow) to the
approximate level of the required portion flow can be
minimized.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, if the rate is equal to or
less than 50%, the controller control the open rate of the control
valve based on 1% unit; if the rate is more than 50% and equal to
or less than 80%, the controller control the open rate of the
control valve based on 0.1% unit; if the rate is more than 80% and
equal to or less than 95%, the controller control the open rate of
the control valve based on 0.03% unit; and if the rate is more than
95% and equal to or less than 99.5%, the controller control the
open rate of the control valve based on 0.006%. At this time, the
maximum value of the open rate adjustment unit (for example, 1%)
may be less than the set open rate of the control valve when the
control valve is in the full close state (for example, 3%). After
go through the above processes, the below-described second control
manner may be applied.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the second control manner of the
controller illustrated in FIG. 2. The above-described first control
manner corresponds to proportional control, which controls based on
the rate, while the second control manner corresponds to integral
control, which controls based on the deviation.
Based on each branch line, if the discharged flow is equal to or
larger by a predetermined value (for example 1.5 sccm) than the
required portion flow, the controller decreases the discharged flow
by decreasing the open rate of the control valve by a 0.003% unit,
and if the discharged flow is less than the required portion flow
by a predetermined value (for example 1.5 sccm), the controller
increases the discharged flow by increasing the open rate of the
control valve by a 0.003% unit. The flow discharged via each branch
line can be maintained stably if such processes continue for a
certain period (for example, 5 minutes) and thus the control goes
into a steady state. That is, when the above process of increasing
or decreasing the open rate of the control valve by a 0.003% unit
for five (5) minutes, the below-described third control manner may
be applied.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the third control manner of the
controller illustrated in FIG. 2. First, if the flow measured for
each branch line is within a predetermined range (i.e., if the
discharged flow is stabilized and the range of fluctuation is not
wide), the open rate of the control valve may be fixed. Further, if
the total of supply flow, which is the sum of flows measured for
each branch line, is within a predetermined range (i.e., if the
total of supply flow is stabilized and the range of fluctuation is
not wide), the open rate of the control valve may be fixed.
However, if the measure flow is not within the predetermined range
or the total of supply flow is not within the predetermined range,
the above-described second control manner can be applied.
FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a process for controlling a flow in
the respective branch lines via the apparatus for multi-supplying
gas illustrated in FIG. 1. Considering FIG. 8, fifteen (15)
channels (ch) (or branch lines) are initially opened by the same
rate (or fully) and the same flow are measured for the respective
branch lines if the gas supply is stabilized after the certain
period (15 ch same control).
Then, as described the above, the controller compares the total of
supply gas with the total of required flow and increases the total
of supply gas by increasing the open rate of MFC (mass flow
controller) installed on the auxiliary supply line if the total of
supply gas is equal to or less than the total of required flow by a
predetermined value. That is, a section, in which the total of
supply flow being the sum of flows measured via MFM increases,
appears.
And then, the controller drives the control valve on each branch
line (or each channel) according to the required portion flow and
adjusts the open rate of each control valve. As described the
above, during the process that the first to third control manners
are applied, the inclined sections, in which the flow increases or
decrease, appear and then the stabilized section, in which the flow
discharged via each branch line is stably maintained, appears if
the control goes into a steady state. That is, FIG. 8 illustrates a
section, in which the same flow is measured, a section, in which
the total of supply flow increases, the inclined section and the
stabilized section in order.
Particularly, as indicated in FIG. 8, it may be understood that the
total of supply flow increases from 20,000 sccm to 20,700 sccm and
it may be identified that the channel 2 increases by 200 sccm, the
channel 5 increases by 50 sccm, the channel 7 increases by 50 sccm,
the channel 10 increases by 100 sccm, the channel 13 increases 300
sccm, and consequently the total increases 700 sccm.
That is, according to an embodiment of the present invention,
without the separate distributor (FRC), the control valve and the
flow meter can perform the same function as the distributor and the
present invention has an advantage capable of sufficiently
controlling even if the total flow increases or decreases.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention has been
particularly shown and described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the
art that various changes in form and details may be made therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined by the following claims.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited by the disclosed embodiments, but only by the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *